Introduction
Dengue fever is a tropical disease caused by a virus spread by the Aedes mosquito. It can cause severe illness and death in some people. In locations where dengue is common, such as Southeast Asia and Latin America, there are vaccines available to prevent this kind of infection.
Symptoms of Dengue Fever
You may have symptoms of dengue fever, including:
- High fever, which can reach 101 degrees Fahrenheit or more. This is often accompanied by joint pain and muscle and/or joint stiffness.
- Headache that's severe enough to keep you awake at night or cause intense nausea.
- Fatigue (which may make it hard to get out of bed).
- Loss of appetite (which makes it hard to eat).
Symptoms in Children
Dengue can also cause red spots on the skin, especially in children. It can be spread by infected mosquitoes and has four stages, each with different symptoms:
The First Stage:
The first stage is usually mild, with high fever, headache, muscle pain, and joint aches.
The Second Stage:
The second stage lasts about three days and causes more severe symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea (often bloody), nausea/vomiting blood, and chest pain.
The Third Stage:
In the third stage of dengue fever, known as dengue hemorrhagic fever; there may be bleeding under the skin or inside your nose or gums due to rupture within capillaries caused by blood clots formed during this time frame of infection; this bleeding can lead to internal organ damage if it's not treated quickly enough after being diagnosed with this life-threatening condition!
If you have these symptoms and live in a region where dengue is present, see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
If you’re not sure if you have dengue fever, don't take aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen until you get confirmation from your doctor. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce fever and pain.
Severe Cases of Dengue Fever
In severe cases, dengue fever can lead to internal bleeding, shock, and death.
Dengue fever is a potentially fatal disease caused by the same virus that causes dengue. It can lead to internal bleeding, shock, and death if left untreated.
There are two types of dengue:
Severe Dengue Fever (DHF)
Severe dengue fever (also known as DHF) is a more serious form of the disease that can cause organ damage and even death if untreated. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, and muscle aches with nausea or vomiting. You may also experience rash or body pain near your eyes or ears at first but these symptoms usually go away on their own within 24 hours after you have been infected by the virus.
Relapsing Fever-Like Illness (RFLI)
Relapsing fever-like illness (RFLI) is less severe than DHF and lasts longer than 24 hours; it's often mistaken for influenza because both viruses cause similar symptoms such as runny nose, sore throat & cough, etc., however, unlike influenza there isn't any need for medical treatment either way!
Causes of Dengue and How the Aedes Mosquito Spread Dengue?
Dengue fever is spread through the Aedes mosquito when it bites an infected person and then bites someone else. The Aedes mosquitoes that can carry dengue are daytime biters, which means they’re active during daylight hours. They prefer to bite humans and animals (like birds or cats), but will also bite other animals if there are no humans around.
Aedes mosquitoes have a preference for spicy food they like sweet things like chocolate milk but turn up their noses at sour foods such as lemonade or vinegar. To prevent getting bitten by these pesky bugs, keep your home clean! Also, remember that if you live near wetlands where there are lots of frogs in ponds and lakes then you may want to wear protective gear when going outside so that mosquitos don't get stuck on them too long before biting someone else again this way fewer people become infected with this virus each year due to lack thereof resources available within our society today than ever before existed throughout history!
Preventive Strategies
You can reduce the risk of being bitten by a mosquito by using these preventive strategies.
- Use insect repellant.
- Wear long sleeves or pants.
- Keep your house free of standing water where mosquitoes can breed.
- Get rid of any standing water in your yard, including rain gutters and pet bowls filled with water (for example).
- Use a mosquito net while sleeping outdoors at night and when sleeping indoors at night for protection from mosquito bites if you are outside for extended periods of time such as on vacation or camping in an area where there is no air conditioning or fans to keep mosquitoes away from you during the day time hours.
Vaccine for Dengue Fever
Dengvaxia Vaccine
For Dengvaxia, Vaccine providers give three doses administered subcutaneously and each dose is given 6 months apart (at 0, 6, and 12 months) for full protection.
The vaccine for dengue fever may not work in these conditions;
The virus is extremely hardy and can survive in any environment for years after infection. If you have gotten infected with this mosquito-borne disease, there's a chance that the vaccine won't work against you because it's designed to protect against infection by a particular strain of dengue virus.
People who get vaccinated tend not to develop symptoms as quickly as those who don't this means they may be able to avoid getting sick enough that they need medical care (and therefore could be exposed again).
Precautions!
Taking precautions like using insect repellent can help keep you from being bitten by a mosquito that may carry dengue fever.
Dengue fever is a viral illness that mosquitoes can transmit. You can protect yourself from mosquito bites by using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants when you go outside, but it's also important to avoid breeding places for mosquitoes in your own home.
Suppose someone has been bitten by a dengue, carrying a mosquito. In that case, they should stay away from other people as soon as possible until they've had time to recover from their symptoms (which usually include nausea, vomiting, and fever).
Why might Dengue Fever get more attention than other diseases?
There are a few reasons why dengue fever may receive more attention than other diseases, such as malaria and typhoid fever:
Prevalence: Dengue fever is a rapidly spreading disease that affects millions of people worldwide each year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 390 million dengue infections occur each year, with about 96 million resulting in illness. In comparison, malaria affects an estimated 229 million people each year, and typhoid fever affects around 22 million people annually.
Severity: While malaria and typhoid fever can be severe, dengue fever can be more dangerous and potentially fatal. Severe dengue fever, also known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, can cause bleeding, shock, and organ failure. According to the WHO, around 500,000 people with severe dengue require hospitalization each year, and around 2.5% of those affected die.
Lack of a vaccine: Unlike malaria and typhoid fever, there is no specific vaccine for dengue fever, which means that prevention largely relies on vector control measures, such as reducing the mosquito population and limiting mosquito breeding sites. This has led to more attention on dengue fever and efforts to develop a vaccine.
Economic impact: Dengue fever can have a significant economic impact on affected communities, including loss of income due to illness, healthcare costs, and the cost of vector control measures. This can further contribute to the attention given to the disease.
Overall, while malaria and typhoid fever are also important public health concerns, the unique characteristics of dengue fever, including its prevalence, severity, lack of a vaccine, and economic impact, may contribute to its higher level of attention and focus.
Conclusion
It's important to know that dengue fever is not a life-threatening disease, but it can be very uncomfortable. If you have any symptoms of dengue fever, see your doctor immediately so they can diagnose and treat the condition properly.
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